Publication type
Journal Article
Author
Publication date
June 24, 2026
Summary:
This article examines the formation of national identity, measured as the feeling of belonging to British society. First, we investigate the size and the main drivers of national identity among young immigrants. Then, we analyse the extent to which this process is related to the transmission of identity from one generation to the next and is driven by parental characteristics. We find that immigrants’ identification is correlated with education and household financial conditions. We show an intergenerational transmission of British identity from one generation to the next, with parents having different roles in shaping it. Mothers’ identification with the host country has a direct and major role, while fathers influence their children’s identification more indirectly, through their educational achievements and naturalization process. Some heterogeneity analyses suggest that financial difficulties are negatively associated with British identity, highly penalizing young women and individuals living with their families. African and Asian communities, along with religious groups such as Christians and Muslims, show stronger British identification in relation to education and household financial stability.
Published in
Italian Economic Journal
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s40797-026-00396-z
ISSN
2199322
Subjects
Notes
Copyright © 2026, The Author(s)
Online Early
Open Access
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